St James Residents' Association

Sunday, 11 March 2012

Down Your Way, for Mon 12th March.

As previously reported the recent meeting of the St. James Residents Association was very well attended with over 50 people present. Those gathered listened to all the latest news within the area and were asked whether they would be interested in a parish council for the area. A straw poll taken at the meeting indicated that initially they were not in favour the idea.The main topic of conversation however, was the subject of permit parking in the area and Jim Whiting, Senior Traffic Engineer for the County Council was on hand to address the meeting and outlined the improvements to the scheme that were needed but stressed the importance of residents giving their views to the consultation that ends on 2nd March. Jim outlined the importance of returning the questionnaires to tell the council what they want from the scheme. Many questions were asked and they were dealt with in a refreshingly honest but professional manner. The consultation has now closed and the responses are now being sifted. The SJRA will meet with the County Council this week to discuss the findings.

Hands Off Our Homes!

Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Northamptonshire County council approves £28 million of budget savings

BUDGET savings of £28 million, including the controversial scrapping of a £500,000 fund to provide Police Community Support Officers, have been approved by councillors. During a marathon, six hour meeting at County Hall yesterday, the Conservative leaders of Northamptonshire County Council approved their money saving plans. The move will mean almost 300 council jobs will be cut, charges for adult social care will rise, £500,000 will be taken away from children’s centres and the council will take away the money it currently gives to fund Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

Councillor Jim Harker

Leader of the County Council (Con)

The leaders of the council defended the cut to PCSO funding, arguing the police authority should foot the bill, but opposition leaders and anti-cuts demonstrators condemned the party for going back on their 2009 election pledge to “provide £500,000 per annum for extra PCSOs”.

The leader of the opposition, Councillor Brendan Glynane (Lib Dem, Delapre) said: “They’re failing to support the people of Northamptonshire by failing to support visible policing and they’ve now lost the right to call themselves ‘the party of law and order’. “They were elected on a promise of providing more visible policing. They had the opportunity to do that, but they’ve failed.”

He was backed by the deputy leader of the Labour group, Councillor Mark Bullock (Lab, Corby Central) who added: “The Conservatives promised the community they would fund PCSOs and they’ve let them down.” Instead of providing £500,000 for PCSOs, the county council will give the police £300,001 to help tackle violent crime.

The leader of the authority, Councillor Jim Harker (Con, Kettering Rural) said: “The hard fact is that crime prevention is the responsibility of the police and our reduced reserves don’t allow us to carry on with our funding indefinitely.” The cabinet member for finance, Councillor Bill Parker (Con, Brambleside) added: “The money we’re giving the police to tackle violent crime will allow the police authority to spend a similar amount on front-line policing. This really is a win, win for everyone in Northamptonshire.” He also said the council’s decision not to increase council tax would be welcomed by residents, adding: “I’m sure Northamptonshire residents will be grateful that more money will be staying in their pockets. “Not only does this help reduce the burden on household budgets, it also supports our local economy.”

Trees felled in an attempt to speed Northampton bus station plan

Trees have been cut down at the site of a proposed bus station in Northampton - to prevent nesting birds from delaying the work. Council workers have started preparing the Fishmarket site. Independent Northampton councillor Tony Clarke said it made a mockery of the planning consultation process. Conservative council leader David Mackintosh said the development could be held up if birds nest on the site.

Workers have felled trees at the Fishmarket site

where the bus station could be built.

A planning application for the £8m replacement for the Greyfriars bus station is expected to be submitted next month. Mr Clarke said: "The council would be the first to take action if a developer proceeded with works prior to obtaining planning permission, but they obviously think they're a law unto themselves. "It makes a mockery of consultation and weakens our democracy in the process. "They've proven to the public that their views are not worth tuppence and they're carrying on regardless." Mr Mackintosh said: "For too long the council has been criticised for producing plans that never became reality. "It would seem ridiculous if the planning committee approved plans for the new bus interchange only for months of delays because we would not want to disturb any nesting birds."

The new bus station is being jointly promoted by the borough council, Northamptonshire County Council and the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation.

Northampton Borough Council refuse to back down on plan to cut £100,000 PCSO funding

THE LEADERS of Northampton Borough Council have refused to back down on controversial plans to cut £100,000 of funding from the police. When Guildhall officials announced their annual budget plans in December, they included proposals to withdraw funding for three of the town’s Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). The council’s leading cabinet last night backed the proposals, despite opposition politicians claiming the reduction, combined with last year’s switch off of half the county’s street lights and new plans to reduce the number of people who monitor the town’s CCTV cameras, would lead to an increase in crime.

Councillor David J Mackintosh

Leader of the Council (Con)

Labour opposition councillor at the Guildhall, Councillor Terry Wire (Lab, St James) said: “We’re totally opposed to cutting PCSOs and we know the people of Northampton are up in arms about it. “But I don’t think the council is listening, that’s why we’ll put forward an alternative budget next week to show how the council could keep on funding PCSOs.”

The leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Councillor Sally Beardsworth (Lib Dem, Kingsthorpe) also criticised the proposed funding cut, pointing out 71 per cent of people who had responded to the council’s budget consultation also opposed the move. She said: “People I’ve spoken to feel the presence of PCSOs makes the community feel a lot safer and there’s a concern crime will increase if they go.” But the leader of the authority, Councillor David Mackintosh (Con, Rectory Farm) stood by previous claims that the council should not fund the police. Pointing out the council’s budget would pay for extra neighbourhood wardens and staff in the council’s licensing department, he said: “We don’t have the money to keep funding PCSOs and do everything else we want to do. “We have to make some difficult decisions in the budget, but I’ve consistently said that policing should be paid for by the police authority.” Northamptonshire County Council also plans to pull £500,000 of funding for PCSOs, but it will give the police a further £300,000 to tackle violent crime.

Other proposals in the borough council’s budget include plans to keep council tax at current levels, the removal of four senior managers at the Guildhall and an investment of £430,000 in the town’s Enterprise Zone.

The budget is due to be finally approved by the council next week.

8,000 miles and more – a talk by Satish Kumar

CORRECTION: Please note that tickets for this talk are available from Royal & Derngate Box Office and not Northampton Museum and Art Gallery as mentioned in the original release.

Former monk and peace and environment activist Satish Kumar will be visiting Northampton to talk about his 8,000 walk around the world urging peace to world leaders. For over 50 years Satish has been quietly campaigning for peace. Aged nine he left his family to join the wandering Jains and at 18 he decided he could achieve more back in the world and campaigned to turn Gandhi’s vision of a renewed India and a peaceful world into reality.

Inspired in his early 20s by British peace activist Bertrand Russell, Satish set of on an 8,000-mile peace pilgrimage. Carrying no money and depending on the kindness of strangers, he walked from India to America, via Moscow, London and Paris to deliver a humble packet of ‘peace tea’ to the then leaders of the world’s four nuclear powers. In 1973 Satish settled in the UK and took up the post of editor of Resurgence, a position he has held ever since. Over the years he has won many accolades and awards, including Honorary Doctorates from the universities of Plymouth and Lancaster and the Jamnalal Bajaj International Award for Promoting Gandhian Values Abroad. In 2005 he was a castaway on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs and is also a regular on a range of other programmes including Thought for the Day.

The talk is at Northampton Museum and Art Gallery on Friday 30 March at 8pm and is being staged as part of a series of events linked to the ‘Step into my Shoes’ exhibition, which is showing at the museum until 15 April. Tickets priced £5 are available from the Royal & Derngate Box Office by calling 01604 624811 or visiting http://www.royalandderngate.co.uk/